Sway bar bushings maybe. Your tie rod ends good?

 

Would really be nice to know what year, model, etc. :wall:

 

Would really be nice to know what year, model, etc. :wall:

Oops! My apoligies,
It's a 2006 Ford Escape XLT 4 Cyl 2.3L engine. I'll check the tie rods -they're original but the boots are still good.

-Dan

 

Hi
Well the noise when turning the wheel is just the power steering pump groaning since you are not moving and it's hard to turn the wheels. It's not necessarily bad now but not out of the questions for a future repair.

Now when you say you did te struts did you literally just do the struts or did you do like a Monroe complete quick strut? If not did you replace the strut bearings. That's usually the clunker when struts are going out.

 

Hi
Well the noise when turning the wheel is just the power steering pump groaning since you are not moving and it's hard to turn the wheels. It's not necessarily bad now but not out of the questions for a future repair.

Now when you say you did te struts did you literally just do the struts or did you do like a Monroe complete quick strut? If not did you replace the strut bearings. That's usually the clunker when struts are going out.

I did the complete quick strut assembly - should have had new bearings in it. I bought the strut mounting kit

http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9455249/00268/

and the strut itself

http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9454989/00268/

Thanks for all your help!

 

Lokks like you covered all the strut bases with those parts. Man its like you did almost all the major front end stuff. I cant imagine a tie rod making a noise like that when it is broke. You would have severe play in the wheel at that point i would think.
I don't think your model has front upper control arms? You don't hear about those going very often, maybe some others can weigh in? :bump:

 

i had a small clunk too and i nailed it down to the strut boot cover flopping around

 

That's got to be one heavy strut boot!

 

its pretty light actually. just makes a flopping noise sometimes.

 

its pretty light actually. just makes a flopping noise sometimes.

Ah I wish it were something that easy. Unfortunately, this is much more than a boot clunking around...

 

oh, i see. have you checked the subframe bolts? i've heard they can come loose

 

I've replace most of the front end parts - struts, sway bar links, inner and outer tie rod ends, control arms, and axle shafts. I did have a noise come back and it ended up being a loose nut on a Moog sway bar link. Tugging on it did not reveal the problem as it was under tension from the sway bar. I had to unhook one end of the link to determine the other end was loose. Perhaps you should retorque the whole front end (everything), just for grins.

 

Oddly enough... I changed my power steering fluid... (turkey baster method) and t actually quieted down my front end... which had a clunk and groaning sound. Replacing the ball joint completely alleviated it. Are you sure the new ball joints are good. Not defective?